Happy Monday! One of the ways I support Paradigm Shifting Leaders ~ those who “lead others and those who lead their own lives with purpose and meaning“[1] ~ is by helping them ORIENT.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking you on a tour highlighting key concepts that can help you better navigate the sea of change. This week’s theme is “What Time is It in the World?.“
Today, let’s focus on why. What value might you derive from investing your time & attention (precious resources!) on the question, “What Time is It in the World?“?
Two reasons:
1. This type of question brings our awareness to the context (and as the saying goes, “Context is everything.”). Tracking context enables us to navigate the sea of change with greater skill. Why? Most of us are clear on where we’re going, but when we don’t have a clear sense of where we are and the constraints and conditions around us, we are less effective at getting where we want to go.
2. This type of question fortifies our “mental complexity.”[2] Why is this important? Increasing our mental complexity helps us close the “Complexity Gap” (the mismatch between the world’s complexity and our ability to manage it).[3]
[1] Richard Strozzi-Heckler, The Leadership Dojo: Build Your Foundation as an Exemplary Leader
[2] “Contextual Thinking” is one of four “mega-skills” Theo Dawson of Lectica has identifies as essential for effective performance under VUCA conditions (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity).
[3] Theo Dawson, Bridging the Complexity Gap